Of Nightmares and Dreams
by StarBlazer124
Summary: Life on the streets can be unforgiving. Serving her mafia boss, Jesse, Aidan learned this early on. When Bartolomeo and his friends step into her life, however, she begins to change her point of view. With time, Aidan comes to understand what having a family means, but she can't help but wonder. How long will this last?
1. Chapter 1

The room was silent as three pairs of eyes peeked around the corner of the doorway. Their prize, a small wooden box, sat on a long table with a knapsack resting on its lid. Two men stood alert, weapons at the ready should the attackers outside attempt to break in. Gunfire and shouts echoed from below as the diversion succeeded in distracting the majority of the base's men.

With a single shot, one of the gangsters leapt from behind the door and shattered the light fixture with a bullet from his pistol. His two comrades followed his lead and charged into the room, using the dim beam of sunlight streaming in from the window to see their enemies. The guards at the table fired several rounds before they were grabbed by two of the thieves. Guns were kicked out of reach and fists began flying as the men brawled. One of the thieves grabbed the crate and bag and darted away from the fighting. Glass shattered around him as he plummeted through the second story window down to the heaps of bagged trash beneath him.

Garbage crunched and crinkled upon his landing. He groaned and stood, brushing off a bit of old food with the back of his free hand. When the sound of soft footsteps met his ears, however, his hand flew to his knife, unsheathing it in one fluid motion. The red-headed girl who had approached him stopped short, but showed no indication of fear. "Your mark," he ordered, "show it to me."

Without a word, the girl turned away from him and pulled the back of her shirt up, revealing a detailed skull tattoo. The skull stretched across her spine; a dark brown snake wrapping around the skull, creeping into one eye socket and popping out of the other. A paper was held in the skull's jaw, the symbol for berries etched in the corners. Instantly, the man relaxed and lowered his blade. "You must be Aidan, then. Aren't you a little young to be a main branch member? From what I hear, the guys at home base are brutal."

The girl, Aidan, fixed her shirt and faced him again, this time with an annoyed glare. "Does it matter?"

He shrugged. "I s'ppose not." His nose wrinkled slightly as he sniffed his sleeve. "Did you have to make my landing out of trash though? I smell like a sewer rat!"

"It got the job done," she said, "Quit complaining. We've got to get moving. We're running behind schedule." She reached out, taking the parcels out of his arms. "Keep the Vipers occupied. I'm heading back to home base."

"Be careful. We don't know if any of them are stationed in the streets." She nodded in acknowledgement before she turned and disappeared into an alley.

Aidan ran as fast as her legs would carry her, hoping to minimalize the temper of her leader, Jackpot Jesse. He hated to be kept waiting. 'Especially on such an important job. He'll want this shipment as soon as possible,' she thought to herself. The gang had recently gained word of a potential threat coming from the East, a rival gang that had already laid waste to several smaller groups. Rumors had been spreading that they were searching for a place to set up and Jesse worried that meant they'd move into his territory.

It had surprised Aidan that Jesse would feel threatened by this particular rival, since he easily maintained his dominating organization, crushing any opposition with a single order. He had ruled the local mafia for several years, most of which Aidan had witnessed first-hand. His love of money and power was known across much of the East Blue, spurring several attempts to find his fabled jackpot of millions.

On the other hand, she reminded herself, this new kingpin also had quite the reputation, despite his limited experience. People whispered about his monstrous appearance and his unnatural abilities. It was said he towered over the common man and that his fangs could tear flesh off of bone, like some kind of wild animal. Some even theorized that he was a demon in disguise.

Aidan slowed as her stomach gave a loud groan. It had been nearly a whole day since she had earned a meal and she knew her payment today would be small, if Jesse was going to feed her at all for running late. The bakeries would be opening shortly and she debated snitching some bread. If she was going to be late anyway, she may as well be full.

Stopping next to several barrels, Aidan squeezed her way between them and the brick wall of a building, setting the box in a nook inside the cracked wall, one of her many hiding spots. She eyed the knapsack in her other hand, wondering if its contents would fit in the box as well. It would make things easier for her. Lifting the lid, Aidan was pleased to see there was plenty of space between it and the stacks of bills in neat rows.

Reaching into the bag, her fingers met something smooth and round. Her eyes widened when she pulled out an odd fruit. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. Its shape reminded her of a peach, yet it was a bright yellow. Even stranger were the odd swirls covering the skin and the light blue stem that curled in on itself. Crawling out from the barrels, Aidan turned the fruit in her hands, trying to examine it in the light. Something about it made her nervous. It almost felt like it was laughing at her with a menacing grin. That was ridiculous, though. She was simply letting her imagination run wild, she told herself.

Not in a position to waste free food, Aidan took a bite and almost immediately, she gagged. It tasted horrible! The mix of extreme bitterness and intense sour flavor made her stomach churn, but she forced herself to swallow. Chills shook her body and the palms of her hands began to tingle. What on earth was happening? Before the sensation could ruin her appetite, Aidan devoured the rest of the fruit, thankful that the awful taste lessened with each mouthful.

Dropping the pit at her feet, she was beginning to calm down when a noise caught her attention. Barking, followed by an irritated shout. "Where is it?" the gruff voice demanded. Aidan's heart jumped into her throat. They were looking for the stolen goods!

Afraid of leading them to the hidden box, she sprinted out of the alley and into one of the main intersections. Within moments, the deep growls caught up to her, snarling from behind her. She could feel the beast's hot breath on her ankles as it got closer. Its paws beat against the road until it pounced, sending both of them to the ground. Sharp claws dug into her ankle and drew blood. Aidan struggled to free herself, but the dog's weight held her down firmly.

"There you are, punk!" The owner skidded to a stop further down the road, letting his pet keep her in place. "Where the hell did you put it? You better not have handed it off already!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Her voice was muffled by the cobblestone pressed against her face.

The owner scoffed. "This is one of the best tracking dogs we've got! Don't think you can pull a fast one on me!"

Suddenly, from the curb, came an impish snickering. "You need some fancy mutt to help you catch a street rat?" The newcomer sauntered out of the shadows and joined them in the middle of the street. "You're one of the Vipers, right? Isn't this side of town past your territory?" He sneered as the owner stumbled backwards in shock.

"N-no way…You're…" The owner stammered for a moment, unable to form a cohesive thought. Fear swept through him and he bolted down the road, back in the direction he came from. "B-Boss!" he screamed, "Boss, it's him! It's Bartolomeo! Bartolomeo has arrived!"

Aidan's mind raced. Her stomach flipped as the name rang in her ears: Bartolomeo, or in other words, the demon kingpin who'd made Jesse so anxious. She tried to pull herself free with all of her strength, hoping to escape his wrath, but when his boots appeared next to her, she gave up. Maybe the dog would end her first, she rationalized.

Looking up, she was amazed by his height. She could barely see his face until he leaned down closer to the dog's level. Green hair was slicked back into a pompadour and a gold nose ring glinted in the morning sun. His red eyes stared into the dog's and several shark-like teeth bared at the animal, including two long fangs. With a single savage snarl from Bartolomeo, the dog scampered off after its master, releasing Aidan.

She scrambled to her knees, ready to take off, when Bartolomeo grabbed her shoulder. "Woah, easy there. Not so fast. I'm not gonna bite." He kneeled, glancing down at her injured ankle. "Damn mutt battered you up a little, from the looks of it. What the hell did you do to that guy anyway? He sounded pissed."

"I stole some of his food." It wasn't a total lie.

Bartolomeo snorted. "Gutsy. You got lucky. He could have killed you." He stood to his full height, stretching. "Maybe you can help me out, though. I'm new around here and I've got a few questions about the goons in town. Since you're obviously familiar with how things run, you could catch me up. How about it?"

She watched him carefully. "What makes you think I'd be any help?"

"You managed to get that guy to tail you this far out of his gang's territory, so you've got to know the city pretty well and if you've been here that long, surely you've heard some things. Come on. Help me out here. It's the least you could do, since I saved you." Her amber eyes narrowed and Bartolomeo held his hands out in defeat. "Alright, don't be grateful, but how 'bout this? I'll get one of my boys to take care of your leg and you can tell me what you can afterwards. Sound fair?"

Aidan hesitated, feeling the sting in her ankle as she returned to her feet. It'd be a challenging trip back to the base, especially with the Vipers looking for their money, and she doubted any of her comrades would help her. "Well, I guess I could-"

"Perfect! Let's get going!" Bartolomeo tossed her over his shoulder, holding her there by her waist.

"H-hey! Put me down! I can walk just fine!" she argued.

The kingpin ignored her protests and began making his way towards the edge of town. "Quit wriggling! It'll only take a few minutes to get there, so pipe down!"

Aidan huffed, but stopped fighting his grip. "I could've walked…" she muttered.

As they continued in silence, Aidan began to take note of their route and location. Curiosity fueled her senses, urging her to absorb everything she could. Businesses and apartments became farther apart and gave way to wider roads and boarded up doorways. Many of the windows were opaque with dust and those that weren't were broken. While the area technically belonged to the Jackpots', the gang never had a reason to come into the abandoned district, which fascinated Aidan. To think there were still portions that she didn't know.

The path slanted up a hill. Before the duo reached the top, though, Aidan noticed a strange, blond man leaning against a building, watching them with an amused expression. In a couple long strides, he came up alongside of them and gave Aidan's ponytail a quick tug. "What'cha got there, Boss? I thought you were going to grab some grub."

Bartolomeo grinned. "Yeah. Then I ran into one of the local thugs on my way, but the kid needs some patching up."

"I'm not a kid." To Aidan's chagrin, the two merely chuckled, continuing to talk amongst themselves.

"Hey Gam, get the door, will ya?"

Aidan craned her neck around to see where they were. The blond unlocked a door leading into a large, old warehouse. Swinging the door open, he led the three of them inside. The front room was bare, aside from a few crates, and the fireplace along the far wall was empty. In front of it sat two other gangsters flipping through a stack of papers. Both looked up, puzzled, as Bartolomeo set Aidan on one of the crates. "Henry, I need you to fix her ankle."

One of the gangsters, a brunet in a leather jacket, nodded and rustled through his bag. "Alright, Bart."

"For the last time, it's 'Boss' now. I've got a reputation to keep up."

Henry rolled his eyes and slid in front of Aidan, a few supplies sitting in his lap. His touch was quick and light as he turned her leg slightly. With a small pop, he opened a dark bottle and soaked the cloth in his free hand. "This'll hurt," he warned, rubbing the wound. Aidan hardly flinched.

The other gangster, whose afro was a similar shade of red as Aidan's hair, held a paper out to Bartolomeo. "I finished filling out an order while you were gone. The new stovetop should be shipped Thursday."

Bartolomeo skimmed the sheet. "Sounds good. Keith said he'd take the next boat he could, so he shouldn't have to deal with that rusty old thing we've got."

"We don't need that dumb bastard," the other grumbled.

The blond came around and grabbed the shorter man in a headlock, giving him a playful noogie. "Aw, Al! What's the matter? Is my precious cousin feeling grumpy today?"

"Lay off, Gambia! I just think we'd be better without that muscle-brained idiot stirring trouble!"

"And it's not at all because Keith's taller than you now?" Henry asked, unwinding a bandage.

Al blushed and pushed Gambia away. "Can it!"

Bartolomeo howled with laughter. "I think you struck a nerve! Al, you're starting to sound like this street rat. She gets sore 'bout being a kid."

"Because I'm not a kid!" Aidan declared. "I'm already thirteen!"

"Oh, excuse me, Ms. Teenager. As far as I'm concerned, you're a brat until you're my age, so wait a good four more years before acting like tough shit." Plopping down onto the edge of the fireplace, Bartolomeo took a swig from an open beer can. "Anyways, kid, you still owe me some information. Start talking. What do you know about the gangs in town?"

"Tell me what exactly you want to know first."

The kingpin leaned forward and rested his chin on his fist. "Everything. It's easy to learn general things, like territory boundaries and gang names, but I want the local point of view. How much tension is there between the current groups? What're the guys in charge like?"

Aidan hesitated. How much did she dare tell? "Do you know who Jesse is?"

"The Jackpot? Of course! Everyone in the East Blue mafia's heard of him."

"He owns this side of town," she explained, "He owns most of the island, actually. The smaller gangs manage to keep pockets of the city, but they tend to mind their own business and stay far away from Jesse's underlings."

"Sounds like he's got everyone eating out of the palm of his hand," Al commented.

Bartolomeo furrowed his brow in disgust. "Guys like him don't have to lift a finger. All he's got to do is flash a little of his money and let his followers do all the work."

"With his reputation, he wouldn't even have to do that much. A chance at his wealth is enough," Gambia added.

"Yeah…" Bartolomeo returned his intense stare to Aidan. "You know where his base is, by any chance?"

She shook her head. "Not a clue. I told you everything I know."

"Great. So we're back to where we started. Damn it." He sighed. "Oh well. Thanks anyway, kid. If Henry's all done, you should head back. We've got work. Do me a favor though and stick to stealing from civilians, got it? I'm not bailing you out after this."

Hopping down from the crate, Aidan made her way to the door. "I'll try my best." With a final, brief nod to Henry and a rushed 'Thanks', she slipped out of the hideout.

"What a weird girl," Bartolomeo concluded.


	2. Chapter 2

"What do you mean that there wasn't anything else?" Jesse slammed his fist against the table and glared down at Aidan. The stolen box of money was laid in front of him, but, for once, he didn't seem to care about his growing wealth. "You better not be screwing with me, Aidan. I'm not in the mood for games!"

A chill ran down Aidan's spine. Her whole body ached, both from her injured ankle and from the new bruises Jesse had given her upon showing him the crate. "I promise you that that was everything, Boss. The money was all the Vipers were guarding-"

Suddenly, Jesse grabbed Aidan's shirt and yanked her close so that they were eye-to-eye. "The Vipers wouldn't have had so much security for a few bills! They had something else and now, because you were messing around, they've probably moved it already!" He shook her roughly. "Where the hell were you anyway? You know not to wander off without my permission, so what were you up to?"

Sitting on a couch across the room, a blue-haired woman batted her lashes. "Aw, Jess, I'm sure she didn't mean no harm."

"Shut it, Audrey," Jesse barked, "She's my subordinate and I'll decide what to do with her. Besides," his voice lowered, "she's not a little kid anymore. Right, Aidan? You're already thirteen and adults like us got to take responsibility for our mistakes. You can't be coddled like you used to." He glanced down at the bandage on her leg. "So where were ya?"

Aidan swallowed hard. "Bartolomeo found me, Boss."

"What?" Jesse blinked.

She nodded. "He mistook me for a street urchin and took me back to his base. One of his three underlings wrapped my cut while he tried to pull information about you out of me." Aidan nervously locked her gaze with Jesse's, unsure what to make of his silence. For a moment, he did nothing, but his stunned expression slowly turned into a wild grin and he cackled.

"Only three goons? Are you serious? Ha! Those rumors must have been all talk then! Aidan, why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"Well, I-"

"Forget that. If you know where their base is, we can get them before they're settled and ambush 'em!" Jesse released Aidan, but his eyes still held a dangerous glint to them. "Lead the way and I might even forget about this whole incident, if you're good. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Aidan bowed her head. "Y-yes, Boss."

"Hey!" Jesse looked towards one of his men. "Get the rest of the main branch's fighters. We're paying Bartolomeo a house call." As the lackey scrambled to obey his orders, Jesse motioned Aidan to go in front of him. "After you…"

With more than a dozen thugs in tow, Aidan led the gang out of the apartment building they called home base and through the main streets. Unlike before, she didn't have to slink through alleys in fear of being spotted by the Vipers, but her heart still raced as Jesse stayed close behind her. The citizens they passed gave them no trouble, knowing not to cross the mob boss' path.

As they entered the abandoned district, Jesse shook his head. "Cocky little bastard," he muttered, "He even had the gall to set up in my territory. Aidan, how much farther?"

"Just up the hill," she replied.

"Alright. Listen up, boys! You give his underlings hell, but Bartolomeo is mine! I need to teach him a lesson about intruding on another man's land."

"We're here, Boss." Aidan came to a stop in front of the warehouse and turned, ready to bolt and get out of the fighters' way, but her leader clutched the back of her shirt tightly, holding her next to him.

One of Jesse's boots kicked the heavy door, shaking it on its hinges. Aidan felt his breath on her neck as he whispered, "You're gonna stay put until I know for sure that you brought me to the right place." He bunched the shirt in his hand, letting it ride up slightly as he kicked again.

A wave of guilt briefly took over Aidan as the door swung open. The tall blond, Gambia, looked down at her casually. They would have to face Jesse eventually, she reminded herself.

Gambia didn't appear fazed by Jesse. Instead of panicking, he calmly called over his shoulder, "Hey Boss, you're gonna wanna see this. The kid brought company." It only took a minute for Bartolomeo and the other two gangsters to show up behind their friend. Henry and Al visibly tensed, but Bartolomeo merely scoffed.

"I thought I told ya to stop biting off more than you can chew, kid." His red eyes scanned the group before looking Aidan over. "You get jumped or somethin'?"

Jesse stepped closer and pulled her higher. The back of her shirt now brushed her ribcage and as he threw her to the side, Aidan heard one of Bartolomeo's friends gasp, knowing the gang had seen her mark. The skull and snake tattoo was hard to miss, after all. "Do I need to explain more?" Jesse asked dryly.

"But...but she's just a kid!" Al's hands clenched into fists and he snarled at Jesse, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jesse rolled his eyes. "Seriously? This is the way things are, idiot. You have to be willing to use what comes your way to your advantage or else you'll never survive in this business. Aidan needed me when I met her and now she owes me for it."

"What could you possibly need from her?"

"Al, shut it." Bartolomeo cut him off, using a quick glare to keep Al from arguing. As Aidan shifted and turned around, that same glare sent sweat rolling down her neck. She scooted back slightly, diverting her gaze to Jesse obediently.

"Aidan, stick around. I'll want a full account of this reported to the outer branches, so pay attention," he ordered.

"Y-yes sir."

Bartolomeo cracked his knuckles. "Guys, leave Jackpot to me. You can go to town on the rest."

"You got it!"

In a split second, the talking gave way to excited shouts. Jesse's fighters rushed forward, weapons ready. Jesse drew a dagger and lunged for Bartolomeo's throat. The kingpins instantly disappeared into the chaotic horde. Aidan squinted at the sidelines, unable to spot the rival gang.

Just then, from the far right, she saw Al punch one of the fighters. As a second man came from behind, gunfire rang out. The man crumpled at Al's feet, smoke still oozing from Henry's flintlock. In the center of everything, thugs were thrown flat on their backs. Gambia elbowed one enemy in the gut. A few more he smacked aside with his nunchucks. Blood, spit, and teeth littered the ground. It all went so fast, Aidan's head spun.

The brawl had stopped. Within a few minutes, all of the Jackpots' best fighters were out cold. Aidan could finally see Bartolomeo in the back of the mess. The dagger now in his hand, he kicked Jesse a few feet away. Jesse looked terrible. His shoulder had a large stab wound and both of his eyes were blackened. One of his arms looked bent unnaturally and he wheezed weakly. Bartolomeo, on the other hand, didn't have a single scratch on him from what Aidan could tell. Even his clothes looked unscathed.

"Hee ha ha! Now that was just sad! What happened to 'surviving in this business', huh? Huh?" Bartolomeo snickered at his own taunts. "What's the matter Jesse? Don't you have a back-up plan? Weren't you gonna 'completely trash' me?"

"Damn it..." Jesse coughed violently. "You freak of nature... You better be grateful to the Vipers. If I had gotten my hands on that devil fruit, I would have torn you apart! Don't you ever forget that!"

Bartolomeo's laughing stopped immediately and his head tilted. "Devil fruit?" He grabbed Jesse's jaw and dragged him closer. "There's one in this town?"

Jesse winced, but still managed to bitterly growl. "Who knows where it is. The members I sent after it came back empty-handed. It could be anywhere at this point."

"Hey Boss," Gambia called, "Aren't the Vipers the ones you said you ran into earlier?"

"Oh yeah..." Suddenly, Bartolomeo's eyes lit up. "Wait..." He looked over his shoulder at Aidan, who was still in shock over what happened. She snapped back into reality, however, when Bartolomeo knocked Jesse unconscious. She trembled as Bartolomeo smirked devilishly. " _Oh!_ I think I figured out where the devil fruit is!" It only took one step from him to send Aidan racing down the hill and through the abandoned district, the image of Jesse's battered body seared into her mind.

"Do you want us to go after her?" Henry asked.

"Nah. I doubt she'll go far."

Gambia leaned against the warehouse wall, replacing his weapon into the front of his waistband. "You think she stole the devil fruit for herself?"

"I'm guessin'. It explains why that Viper was so desperate to grab her. Most guys wouldn't run that far for a bit of grub." Bartolomeo squatted next to Jesse's body. Something glittery caught his attention. A gold oval locket hung around the man's neck, a fancy black 'J' inscribed on the front. With a quick tug, Bartolomeo took the pendant, slipping it into his pocket. "I doubt the kid even knew what it was."

As he stood, Al dug his boot into Jesse's chest. "Bart, let me get rid of these scumbags!"

"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead, hothead. Just remember to keep a couple of 'em. We still need them to tell us where the rest of his lackeys are."

Meanwhile, Aidan had reached the main road. Still running, she ducked into an alley and shrank into the shadows. She checked behind her, expecting Bartolomeo to be right on her trail. Instead, the only people she could see were the townsfolk going about their usual day.

She breathed a sigh of relief. At least the immediate threat was gone. Still, she had never imagined that Jesse would be defeated and so easily at that. Aidan rested her head in her hands. What was she supposed to do now? It would only be a matter of time before the other Jackpot branches got suspicious in their leader's absence. Once they learned that Aidan had unintentionally led Jesse to his doom, they'd come for her. Not to mention Bartolomeo would be getting ready to take over the territory.

Aidan's thoughts went back to the kingpins last words. They had talked about devil fruits, something she had never heard of before. It confused her why Bartolomeo had suddenly shown an interest in her, but at that point it didn't matter. All she cared about was staying well out of his way.

She paused as she caught sight of her shorts. The bottom hem was coming undone on one side. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a spool of black thread. Held down by the thread was a needle, already knotted at the end. With nimble fingers, Aidan expertly began stitching a new hem in place of the old one. The familiar motion was a welcome distraction.


	3. Chapter 3

"And yer sure that's all you know?" Bartolomeo sighed as he stepped away from the woman on the couch. He and his friends had overtaken Jesse's main base, questioning all of the gangsters they could find, but Bartolomeo's search had come up empty. "Damn! Not even his girl knows. How hard can it be to find a Jackpot?"

Henry took a puff of his cigarette. "He probably kept the secret closely guarded to prevent thieves."

"Gam! Al!" Bartolomeo called, "Find anything?"

The two cousins walked out of one of the back rooms, shaking their heads. "Not a thing," Gambia replied.

Bartolomeo kicked the coffee table. "Damn it!"

The woman, Audrey, sauntered over to him and draped herself around his arm. "I may not know where Jesse hid his cash, but if you want, I could still help you out." She batted her eyelashes. "What do ya say?"

"Buzz off!" Bartolomeo shook her off. "I don't need some filthy tramp clinging to me." He turned away. "At least the kid knew when to shut up."

"Kid?" Audrey tilted her head. "Ya mean Aidan?"

"Yeah, her." He glanced over his shoulder. "You know anything about her?"

"Oh yeah! She's been around for ages! We go way back!"

"Alright then," Bartolomeo sat next to Henry. "Tell me more."

Elsewhere in the city, Aidan curled up next to a garbage can, trying to stay out of sight. She lightly traced the new hem of her shorts, letting her thoughts wander back to a time before Jesse.

(7 years ago)

The market was bustling early one morning, the townspeople chatting excitedly about the new visitors. The port hosted two large vessels. Both flew the flag of a neighboring kingdom. While one ship was busy loading supplies, the other was swarming with guards and servants.

"Has the prince appeared yet?"

"I heard he's as handsome as he is wealthy!"

"Isn't he a bachelor? Perhaps he'll be selecting a bride!"

Skipping down the steps of her shared home, Aidan's eyes were wide with wonder. She had never seen the slums so cheerful and lively! She pulled at her raggedy shirt, rocking back and forth on her toes as she waited impatiently. "Auntie! Auntie, look!"

From inside the small apartment building, a young woman stepped out while tying her scarlet hair into a loose bun. "Aidan!" she scolded, "What have I told you about rushing out? Oh for Pete's sake, you haven't even pulled your hair out of your face. Hold still!"

Obediently, Aidan froze as her aunt knelt behind her. With a quick tug, the little girl's mane of red was brushing her neck in a ponytail. Aidan stretched to see over the heads of passerby. "Auntie, what's goin' on? Why's everyone so happy?"

The woman, Tara, scowled and wiped her hands on her apron. "Must you be so noisy, Aidan? The people are waiting to see Prince Richard. He's come from the Elzin Kingdom to gather supplies and soldiers for the civil war."

"What's a 'civil war', Auntie?"

"Shh. Stop your constant jabbering, Aidan. You're too young to understand, so just hush." Tara huffed. "You're as curious as your mother was. If you aren't careful, asking too many questions will get you in a lick of trouble."

Aidan barely listened to her aunt's lecture, used to being compared to her late mother. She grinned as horns trumpeted, signaling the prince's presence. Tara and Aidan pushed to the front of the crowd. A young man dressed in a white suit waved politely to the onlookers. Women flocked around him, acting as dainty as they could in their worn out dresses.

Suddenly, Tara led Aidan back to the curb by their tiny home. "Aidan, I want you to be a good girl and wait right here."

Aidan blinked, but sat. "Where are you going, Auntie?"

Tara smoothed out her clothes, beaming proudly for the first time in Aidan's short life. "I'm going to go introduce myself to the prince."

"Can I come with?" Aidan wanted to meet the man who'd made her aunt smile so beautifully.

Tara shook her head. "No. The prince is far too busy to meet children. For now, stay here. I'll be back shortly." She marched into the fray again and before long, she was gone.

So Aidan waited. At first, she was fine, enjoying all the activity in front of her. Soon, though, the square began to thin and the sun was dipping farther and farther behind the horizon. Aidan could hear her stomach growling pitifully with each hour that passed. No one paid her any mind.

"What are you doing out here at this hour, Aidan? Shouldn't you be gettin' to bed?" A familiar man came to her side.

"Mr. Tailor?"

The older man chuckled. "It's Gavin, dear." He looked up and down the street. "Where is Tara?"

Aidan pointed towards the empty marketplace. "She went to meet the prince. I'm s'pposed to wait for her."

"The prince? But he left hours ago." Realization struck Gavin hard and he frowned deeply. "I see...So she'll scorn her sister for loving a sailor, but she has no problem running off with a stranger. At least Erin knew she wouldn't become some man's maid."

Aidan looked up at Gavin with hurt eyes. "Is Auntie not coming?"

Gavin paused. Getting down to Aidan's level, he hesitated. "I'm sorry, Aidan. I don't think she'll come home." He held out a hand. "We should go inside before it gets too dark. You can stay with me for the time being. I live in the back of my shop. It's not huge, but I think you'll like it. There's an extra room that can be yours. Who knows? Once you're a bit bigger, I could teach you how to sew."

Aidan sniffled, beginning to cry. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no! This isn't your fault." The hiccups and whimpers didn't stop and Gavin sighed. "Aidan, dear, listen closely. There are times in a person's life when things fall apart for no particular reason and there's nothing that can stop it. It's a horrible feeling, but during those times, it's important to hold back your tears and soldier on. I'll admit, it's an unfair circumstance, but you need to pick yourself up and do what's necessary to move forward."

Using her sleeve to wipe her face dry, Aidan took his hand. Her lip still quivered as she timidly asked, "Mr. Tailor, do you have any dinner? I'm a lil' hungry."

Gavin's expression softened. "I'm sure we can find something. Come along."

(2 years later)

Aidan pulled the thread through the cotton rag, knotting the end. She grinned at the finished product. It was finally done! Jumping off her cot, Aidan ran down the hallway towards Gavin's workroom. After all of her practice, she was anxious to show her mentor and get his opinion.

The door of the workroom was shut and Aidan was about to enter when she heard Gavin talking.

"For the last time, I don't have that kind of money." He sounded angry and tired. "Business has been slow, so I've got nothing for you."

A smooth voice, presumably on the transponder, replied, "Well, that's a shame. With all the violence and gang wars going on, I would've thought you'd try a little harder to afford my protection. It'd be sad if something happened to your store."

"I'm not paying you, Jesse."

"Tell you what," the voice said, "why don't I drop by later and we can have a chat about this? I'm sure a little heart to heart will have you seeing things my way. I'll be over around 1:00. Until then, think on my offer some more." There was a click as Gavin hung up.

Aidan waited for a few minutes, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. Slowly, she knocked. "Aidan?" Gavin called.

The door creaked as Aidan came in, a smile hiding her concern.

"What do you need, dear? Huh?" Gavin was surprised as Aidan handed him the rag. "Is this what you've been working on?" The rag, which had been torn when Aidan found it, was not only fixed, but also decorated. A calico cat was embroidered on the bottom half in an array of colors. "Aidan, this is...this is great!"

"You think so?" Aidan swelled with pride.

"Yes! It's hard to believe you've only been stitching for a year. This is some professional quality in the works!" Gavin's eyes lit up suddenly. "We should celebrate."

Aidan blushed. "We don't have to, Gavin."

"Yes we do. This is important." Digging through a bin under his work table, Gavin pulled out a pen and paper. He scribbled some writing down before leaping to grab his wallet, giving both to Aidan. "We should have a nice dinner tonight. I want you to go to the market and buy everything I have listed. Don't forget a thing. I'm going to finish up an order and find a frame to hang this in. We're putting your work right in the front of the store! Now off you go. No time to waste!"

Aidan was rushed out the door and into the street. It didn't faze her, as Gavin had asked her to run errands several times lately, often at the last minute. She frowned after seeing the list. The shops she needed to go to were spread across town. It would take her forever to get everything. Glancing at the clock above the shop's door, she read the time- 11:30.

Three hours later, Aidan ran home, her limbs tired from the long trip. She did her best to lug the heavy bag of groceries through the alley that served as a shortcut back home. Noticing an odd scent, she tried to quicken her pace.

"Did ya see the look on his face? So much for his tough guy act!"

"Yeah, he's right. You taught him a lesson, Boss!"

Aidan froze at the end of the alley, afraid to believe her eyes. The street glowed orange and yellow from the tailor shop, smoke and flames pouring out of the windows. In front, five men watched the blaze with dark smirks of satisfaction. All five had tattoos of a skull and snake.

The most fearsome lit a cigarette. When he spoke, Aidan recognized his voice as the one from the call Gavin had been on. "Guys like him always talk big, but end up not being able to prove their stuff when it counts. Either way, we got our cash, so let's head back to base."

Seeing the men walking by, Aidan hid farther in the alley. She huddled against the cold stone, clutching the bag to her chest. Using every bit of her willpower, she forced herself not to cry. Instead, she dug out the bread she bought, her favorite, and took a savage bite, finding it hard to swallow.

The next ten days felt like years to Aidan. Alone, she slowly nibbled on the food in her bag, while trying to stay warm in the evenings. Eventually, however, her provisions ran out and she gritted her teeth. Without any of the townspeople willing to help her, Aidan knew there was only one other option that could secure her survival.

Creeping through the streets, Aidan found a dozen gangsters gathered together in a circle. "It's too dangerous, Boss. The place is crawling with marines thanks to that stupid battleship in the harbor."

"I don't care! I want that message delivered!"

"What if we called the branch members on the transponder snail?"

"That won't work, moron. The Navy could pick up the signal and listen in."

With shaking legs, Aidan stepped out of the shadows. "I can bring it," she announced. All twelve pairs of eyes flew to her. Aidan's amber gaze locked with that of her goal, Jackpot Jesse.

One of the gangsters bristled. "Scram, brat! You've gotta lot of nerve bargin' in."

"Shut it," Jesse ordered. His men stared at him incredulously. He eyed her critically. "What kind of game are you playing, brat?"

"Aidan," she corrected. "And I want to help."

Jesse hummed in thought. "Why? What do you want?"

Aidan licked her lips. "Some food. Maybe shelter. Whatever you'll give me."

"That's all?" Jesse snorted. "Good enough reason, I guess." He stepped closer, towering above her. "Alright, we'll give you a go."

"Boss, you can't trust that girl!"

Jesse was already handing Aidan a rolled up note. "I told you to shut your mouth, didn't I? I'm the one calling the shots. The Navy'll never expect a kid to be carrying this. Besides, the message is coded, so it ain't like she can read it."

Then, Jesse took a gold locket from his neck and gave it to Aidan. "This'll be proof that you're on our side. The North branch has got a sentry behind Nile's Furniture shop. Show the necklace, give the message, and come back to this spot for your reward. Got it?"

Aidan nodded. "Understood."

"Good. Oh and by the way..." Jesse gripped her shoulder painfully tight and leaned over so his face was a breath away from hers. "If you try anything funny, I'll personally track you down and make you wish that you were never born. Just a reminder."

(Present day)

Gambia leaned against the wall next to Bartolomeo. "Wait, so you're telling me she just waltzed up to the Jackpot himself and asked to join? I ain't stupid, lady."

Audrey shrugged. "That's what happened. She did a damn good job too. Was back in a flash. Don't know where she came from, but Jesse liked her so much that he kept her at the main branch. Anytime she'd finish an order, Jesse would let her have whatever meal we were havin'."

"Still, for a kid to be working the streets..." Al shook his head slowly. "It just ain't right."

Bartolomeo, having heard enough, stood and started walking out. "The kid decided to join. It's her own fault. I'm done here. Guys, we're going back to our base." The other three followed without question.

"See ya later, Barty! Let me know if you need company!" Audrey waved.


End file.
